Ulquiorra is Trying something new
by Arbyter
Summary: As Ichigo and Ulquiorra fight to the dead, but a chain unexpected events give things an interesting twist
1. The Battle and the Kiss

**Ulquiorra is trying "something new"**

**Hi guys, my name is Arbyter, and this is my very first fanfiction. I hope you would enjoy it. Because i have time and ideas, I'm gonna update it every 2-3 days. I know my stile is a little odd, but with time, and your help, I`m gonna master writing.**

**Now, enjoy my story, and don't forget R&R.**

* * *

'Getsuga Tenshou!' Raged Ichigo launching his mightiest attack against Ulquiorra, but to no avail, not even this could do even a scratch to the Cuatro Espada. Ulquiorra counter-attacked, and started literally to bash the walls with Ichigo. No matter how many times Ichigo got up because Ulquiorra would just put him down again. Tired by this senseless, Cuatro took Ichigo by his neck, and in a sad tone he said to Orihime:

'You see what his hearth made him to do? He defeated Grimmjow, he survived just because of your captain intervention against Nnoitra, and now he think he is a match for me, all for your sake.'

Orihime heard the words of Ulquiorra, and inside her, for the first time in Hueco Mundo, fear began to kill the confidence that she will be saved without any sacrifice. She was terrified, only the thought of losing his most beloved friend was like a thousand years in darkest pits of the abyss.

'No, don't do this! Inoue cried. I beg you, do not do this!' As the helpless girl cried, she moved toward the margins of Las Noches. One more move and she would fall from the roof. With her last powers she shouted: 'Kurosaki-kun if you die, I will damn you, if you die at his hands, then why you've come? Get in yourself and SAVE US ALL!'.

As Ichigo heard the words: "useless", "save us all", "damn you", he opened his eyes, and released a Getsuga Tenshou which ripped Ulquiorra left feet and left arm.

'So you`ve found your resolve! Ulquiorra said.

After another 10 minutes of fighting, the Espada launches an attack which throws Ichigo at a huge distance from the Castle.

As Ulquiorra healed his wounds, he heard a cry, Orihime fall from Las Noches roof. As he heard her desperate cry, he felled his cold blood burning, he got a felling he never knew before, and so ran down to catch the girl.

'Ulquiorra-kun,' murmured Inoue, 'you saved me, why?'

'I…I don't know, when I heard your cry my blood started to heat, and I was felling something strange, something I never felled before. You are a strange women!' The empty one responded.

Instead of giving another reply, Inoue just kissed him on the forehead, in that moment, Ulquiorra forgot everything, forgot the battle, forgot Aizen-sama, forgot everything but Inoue. His face was turning redder than blood. Ulquiorra, being the one who always returned the favors, kissed Inoue again, not in forehead but on lips, a kiss so passionately that you could say it was from another one, not from the empty Espada. For a moment Inoue returned again the kiss, but when she recovered from dizziness, she broke the kiss and pushed him back. Just at time, because Ichigo came back, renewed and ready for battle. Lucky, he didn't saw the scene.

'Let`s finish this fight', Ichigo said, and charged toward Ulquiorra.

They continued the fight, but Espada mind wasn't at that battle, it was at that great kiss he gave and get, his mind was at Inoue.

Somehow, they both fight against Ulquiorra, Ichigo fought him per said, but the girl was fighting with her feelings toward him, she was confused, she loved Ichigo, but then why felled that sensation for the Arrancar, it made no sense.

One of the mightiest shinigami was fighting against one of the greatest vasto lordes, and even more ridiculous now, inside her, she wanted the arrancar to win, but wished that shinigami could survive. Inside her was an even greater battle about how she felled. Then her thought were interrupted by a shout, it was Ichigo using the last of his resources to defeat the Arrancar, but to no avail.

'Getsuga Tens…' Ichigo raged, but was interrupted by a cry, Orihime was attacked by a huge Sandworm.

* * *

**This ends the first chapter, I know i let you in a Cliffhanger, but I want to make some suspense. **

**Now, review if you liked it, and review if you didn`t liked it, only then we can make teamwork :)**


	2. The Worms

**Hey guys, time for chapter 2, thanks for my very first reviews, and well... not to much introduction, let's go to story.**

* * *

`Orihime…` shouted Ichigo, and launched his Getsuga towards the giant Sandworm, slicing it in 2.

`That was close` thought Ichigo, and moved to attack Ulquiorra again, only to hear a sound in his back, the Sandworm parts regenerated, and now were 2 of those beasts attacking Inoue. Without thinking a second time, he began to slice the monsters who threatened his friend, ignoring Ulquiorra totally.

And so the Cuatro Espada watched how his foe hacked and slashed the sandworms, only for more of them to appear from the pieces; he was fighting an idiotic battle, with enemies which he don`t even knew how to defeat, without a strategy, he was fighting like a desperate man, `huh, emotions, how interesting, maybe after all this is finished I may make a study or something about them…` Ulquiorra was interrupted from his thoughts by a surprise attack from a sandworm, who swallowed him entirely. No one noticed what happened, neither Orihime nor Kurosaki.

`This is now going to end well for you trash worm! `, the empty one said, and released a Cero oscuras, who obliterated that monster. Tired by waiting, he goes to help Ichigo to finish this matter faster. He used sonido to reach him, and to put him down.

`I`m tired to wait for you to kill them, look: from 2 monsters, now there are nearly 40, you must obliterate them entirely, just look at me! ` And released a cero oscuras which disintegrated 3 worms. `Now you understand? `

Shocked, Ichigo said 'Get away from me demon, don`t tell me how to do my battles!'

Hearing these, Ulquiorra stabbed him in the shoulder. 'Why is so hard to understand humans? You never make logical things, neither when your beloved ones, or even better, your very life is in danger. Do not be a stubborn idiot, you came there to save your princess, and now with your stubbornness even if you kill me you may never save her from that threat; now do the most logic thing, and let's kill that trash, to resume our fight.'

Ichigo, hearing his words, tightened the grip on his sword, and his body began to release spiritual energy, so much that the Logical one, look with very interested now. 'It`s going to be interesting now.' He thought. 'Are you ready Ichigo?' Ulquiorra asked.

Donning his mask, he said: 'Let`s save Orihime!'

Meanwhile, Orihime was trying desperately to protect herself from the sandworms, who now where nearly to 100. Just when she thought everything was lost, he saw the enemies, now in an unspoken truce, coming to help her.

Together, and with much effort they defeated the worms, Ulquiorra launching his Cero Oscuras, while Ichigo releasing blasts of spiritual energy which obliterated their target.

The fight was over, but they both didn't have had enough energy to continue their own, and Orihime seeing this, said: 'Ulquiorra-kun, are you really sure you want to go down this path? You saw what miracles you did today along Ichigo, you both, had put aside your differences to save me, and for that I`m grateful and will be indebted to you until I will disappear from this world.'

'Do not paint me in so good colors women, you knew that I helped him just because it would hinder my fight, and…' he was interrupted by Ichigo

'Yea Orihime don't even think about it, I would never forgive this Espada for what he had done to you, and just look at him, he is a monster, he don't even have his humanity to redeem him, and even more…' again an interruption

'Can we continue now, let`s not make an argument, my life is for Aizen-sama and no one else can change that, no amount of shame, pity or whatever from your pathetic emotion could change that!' and he charged at Ichigo

Inoue was felling that something is wrong, she sensed a little lie in his words, his loyalty was attacked by some new "thing" maybe he needed just a little more of "encouragement" and so she was decided to turn him, to show him the light.

'Santen Kesshun!' Orihime said and, a shield popped up to make the 2 foes take distance. 'Why are you always so hasty Kurosaki-kun? Why you never try to understand peoples and their motives, why there has to be only fight, fight and fight, why, why, why, why you are so blind? Look, you two defeated o hundred sandworms, a feat which otherwise would have been impossible for either of you! Now tell me, you really want to fight? Soul Society should till now have defeated Aizen and his underlings, couldn`t Ulquiorra got another chance?' Orihime cried.

'He was the one who kidnapped you, he was the one killed me one, he is the reason why Soul Society see you as a traitor, and most importantly, he could have killed you.' Ichigo said exasperated.

'But he didn`t killed me, all what he done, was only following orders, he never tried do harm me, and he was always concerned about my safety. He is one of the only 2 Espada which are worthy of a second chance.' Replied Orihime.

'Woman, what are you trying to do is noble, but…' He didn`t got the chance to finish his statement, because Orihime raged:

'I will help you redeem yourself, even if Kurosaki-kun is going to kill you a thousand times, I will resurrect you again and again, until you, he, and everyone else will agree with me.'

'Orihime…' mumbled Ichigo, he never saw her so safe of herself, it was clear he was fighting a lost battle, from the very beginning, even the sexta Espada was than a match for him, he knew, he knew all this time he never had a real chance, his sword was however filled with hope, and with the power of will, a power which he knew wasn`t strong enough, but was a power which only he and his friends have. Inoue was trying to save both him, and Ulquiorra`s soul, and this was good, right? On the other hand, Inoue was now a setback, for both of them, Ulquiorra could kill her every moment, but yet he didn`t, he just stared like a dead man at her.

At the same time, Ulquiorra thought about some things, like "why he didn`t killed her at the moment she was useless?" "why he saved her when she fell down?" "why he feel that strange felling then, and why they kissed?"

They both stared at Orihime, and then at each other, until…

…until Ichigo said:

'Ulquiorra I reached a conclusion, you want to hear it?'

'Me too, human, me too, then let`s hear what each of us have to say' Ulquiorra replied.

* * *

**This ends for now, but I will return, bigger and better.**

**Until then, follow, favorite and review, every input is welcome.**


	3. The Heart

**Hi again, this is the 3rd chapter of this story. I hope you enjoyed it so far.**

* * *

As they approached each other, and the distance between them became smaller and smaller, the tension grow, they were sure that when the other have had his guard down, he will be attacked. As they looked at each other, no one said anything for a long 30 seconds. Deciding to break the ice, The Espada said:

'Kurosaki Ichigo' Ulquiorra began, 'this woman, is very strange, after I kidnapped her, everything I wanted to do, was to break her resolve, to transform her will into despair, and, most importantly, to make her fear us, to make her fear me, to make her fear death itself, but as you see now, he is even stronger than before, and still have no fear when she face me, her guardian, her executioner, her jailor, nor even the lower ranked Espada were capable of such a feat -maybe except Grimmjow, but still- and now a Human stands before me with no fear, this is blasphemy, and even more, he made my blood to burn, but not a vile burning, no, it was a pleasant hot, something good…'

He never finished, as Orihime stopped him and said: 'My dear Ulquiorra, that was the heat of your heart, you had a heart all this time, but it was dormant, I think I just made it to wake up or something…'

'Nonsense, Hollows don`t have a heart' Ichigo and Ulquiorra said at the same time.

'Not the physical heart, that do not really exist into you, that`s why you have a hole, I mean a more…' Orihime replied.

'No, you don`t mean anything, I do not have a heart, and I will never have, I`m a Hollow, and no one can change that, understand this woman' the arrancar replied.

Ichigo, sensing that their conversation was getting nowhere, said 'Ulquiorra, what do you feel now?'

'ANNOYANCE!' Ulquiorra shouted with all sincerity. 'I want just to finish this fight, to go down and defeat your other friends, to fulfill Aizen-sama`s orders.'

'Do you liked that kiss Ulquiorra?' Orihime replied and both Ulquiorra and Ichigo eyes got as large as they can.

'You kissed him?' Ichigo replied. And charged at the Cuatro, who dodged and thrown him back near Inoue.

When you were thrown far away from the castle, I fell down from the roof, and Ulquiorra saved, as a thank you, I gave him a kiss on the forehead, and then he kissed me on the lips, and…'.

'You, how dare you kiss her, you are a fucking Hollow, and yet you dare to kiss, her, the girl you kidnapped from us, and…'

'It is not something which concern you Kurosaki-kun, I take my liberty to kiss everyone I want, and now Ulquiorra, tell me you liked it, or not?'

Recovering from his dizziness , he listened again the question, and then with all his honesty Ulquiorra said: 'That kiss, the first I got and gave in my life, was one of the best things I ever had got, when we kissed, I forgot everything, I forgot the battle, I forgot orders, I forgot my duties, this respond to your question?'

Both Orihime and Ichigo sensed a little bit of emotion is his voice; this was their chance to turn him on their side.

As she heard his words, she began to approach him, more and more, more and more, 'what are you doing woman?' he asked. Without responding, she continued to approach him until she was next to him, and then, without a second thought, she put her hand onto his chest, and then said: 'You feel so lonely inside yourself, you put your mask of emptiness just to hide your loneliness from them, you want a place for yourself.'

'Some of your rambling may be true, but I found my place, my place is along Aizen-sama as one of his most trusted Espada.' He replied

'Aizen is no longer here Ulquiorra, look around yourself, all his Espada, except Grimmjow and you, are dead, Gotei 13 defeated them once and for all, and right now, he is probably inside one of their darkest dungeons.' Ichigo said

'NO, AIZEN-SAMA IS HERE, AND WILL DESTROY GOTEI 13, WILL MAKE KING`S KEY AND WILL BECOME THE NEXT SOUL KING!' Desperation was in his words, and sadness, he knew that if he had such a hard time against that substitute shinigami, even in his Segunda Etapa, what chances have the greater ranked ones, who fought even stronger shinigamies.

Following his desperation, came a wave of his monstrous spiritual energy, he was losing control of himself, he, the Empty One, the Calm one lost control of himself, and wave after wave of massive and abominable reiatsu was released, so much, that even the wall of Las Noches began to tremble.

'Inoue!' shouted Ichigo 'go away from him !' and then used shunpo to go to take her.

'ULQUIORRA, PLEASE, CALM YOURSELF, DO NOT DESPAIR, I WAS ALSO LIKE YOU, I HAD NO ONE, AFTER MY BROTHER DIED, BUT THEN GOOD THINGS BEGAN TO HAPPEN, I GOT FRIENDS WHO GAVE ME A GOOD PERSPECTIVE ON THE LIFE, I GOT AGAIN A FAMILY, AND MOST IMPORTANT, I FEEL COMPLETE AGAIN. I HAVE ALL WANT BECAUSE OF MY FRIENDS. Orihime shouted.

Hearing her voice, his despair began to dissipate with every moment, and after hearing how she too was alone in this world, with no one, how she succeeded; he knew that she would help him, so he began to take control of his spiritual energy again.

After he calmed down and his reiatsu got under control, transforming back to his pre-release state, he said, in a cold, but pleading voice 'Woman, if you consider, you may tell me what a heart is?'

Approaching him, she began.

'Take my hands' she said 'you feel my hands are warm, but they cannot warm you up.'

'Now, you said you had not felt happy all those years of being a Hollow, that`s because you do not have a heath, without a heart, there is no happiness, joyness, love, life, just madness, sadness, and despair.' She continued

'If you will get a heart you are going to experiment all those feelings and much more, it will be possible to make very strong relations with everyone, which can last a lifetime.' Ichigo sustained her.

'Now, you want to have a heart, and live among us on the World of the Living?' She asked.

'Can you make me a heart?' Ulquiorra asked full of curiosity.

Unzipping his collar until his hollow hole was visible, she used 'Sōten Kisshun' and his hollow hole began to close immediately. As the process continued, his mask began to disappear, he was no longer a hollow, he had a heart, and now, he was free from Aizen commands.

'What have you done to me woman? Ulquiorra asked.

'I gave you a heart, as you wished.'

* * *

**For now, this is all, Ulquiorra have a heart, but how will react others when they will know? Stay tuned. :))**

**And do not forget review, favorite and follow. :)))**


	4. The Liberation

**Here I come again, with this new chapter. As you all saw, I grow the number of words with every new chapter**

**Enjoy**

* * *

'A heart?' said Ulquiorra, in shock, like he was struck with an incurable disease or even worse.

They just stood, and looked at each other. Ichigo and Ulquiorra were in shock, first because of the power display Orihime just showed, and the last because she just got something he would never thought he will get: **a Heart. **

Slowly, but surely, Ulquiorra was transforming, and in like 15 minutes, from the winged tender abomination he was, he becomes like a human, his hole was nowhere to be found, his mask disappeared, his wings disintegrated, every last bit of fur on his body disappeared, and his pale skin became a little more tanned, it was like the blood began to flow again within himself, to feed his now human cells, giving him now a more pleasurable aspect. At the final of the transformation, everyone heard a sound, something like a beat, it came from Ulquiorra`s inside, it was his now beating newfound heart.

'What is that sound?' The former arrancar asked, the strange sound panicking him, fear obviously in his voice.

'This is the sound of you beating heart, is good!' Orihime said in a motherly tone, to calm him.

'Why did you do this to me?' Whispered Ulquiorra, not in an annoyed voice, not even an angry one, but a fearful one, he was put into the being he hated the most, the most undesirable one in his opinion, the human. They were weak, they always resorted on someone, they always used, lied, and then used again the weaker human who were prone to be such. In this way, he remembered Orihime, how he used her greatest fear -but unknowingly to him, her greatest power- her friends, just to take she there for the ruse Aizen planned.

He saw the fall of the lower ranked Espada, at the hand of those trashes and saw how someone like him can be defeated by the hands of another trash, it was unbearable.

He remembered, he saw how 4 peoples were required to take down the Octava Espada, neither of them with enough power by themselves, but together they managed to overwhelm him, and even so, only with preparation before the fight.

He saw how Aaroniero, was killed because of this power through the other, when he thought his opponent was killed, but then using the power of the others who strengthened her resolve, Rukia used her third dance to defeat him, once and for all.

Then was Zommari turn, he was defeated because of his arrogance, but was that girl who gave that shinigami the power to continue, even with a leg and an arm useless, he still managed to turn the odds in his favor, and when that boy entered the room, and, and he was slashed by the mind controlled girl, that captain tried a desperate move to save him, he succeeded and then using his new earned knowledge of the opponent was able to finish him, but without the "help" that boy gave, he wouldn`t have a chance.

Grimmjow, his adversary, was not killed but knocked out by the same boy who gave him troubles now, but he made a terrible mistake after he had experienced the same, he tried to attack the peoples close to him, to mock them, things which gave him power and resolve.

Then, there was Nnoitra, the last one to be killed within the walls of Las Noches, again 3 peoples were necessary to defeat him, and even so, they needed the trump card that shinigami monster had. He was surprised to see how even another arrancars could help Ichigo against them.

Now, his turn, he had the upper hand in this combat, but made the same mistake as Grimmjow, he taunted the "woman", who then lent him the willpower to continue the fight, and now here he was, not killed but transformed, into the same thing which defeated 5 of Last Noches Greatest Warriors.

Maybe he could give the humans a chance, after all, his purpose was to survive, and this was his existence now, a vile existence, but he had to survive.

The others stayed silently watching him, as everyone finished his fight, they just got up to the roof of the castle to lend a hand, and they saw Ichigo and Orihime staring at Ulquiorra. When they saw that neither one of them attacked, everyone just stood silently and looked at Ulquiorra.

As he saw himself surrounded by shinigami, he understood now that he had no chance to win, sure he can kill one, two, or even three shinigami and maybe the Quincy and the giant boy, but there were also the captains, lieutenants and Ichigo. He didn't even know if he had his powers anymore.

'Hey, Ichigo, what is happening here?' Raged Kenpachi in his mocking but still curious tone.

'Orihime, healed him, she gave him a heart, and then…' He was interrupted by some shouts.

'What? How could she… Inoue-chan is it true?' Asked Ishida, in a very angry voice.

'Well…' Said Inoue, and started blushing, 'Y…' but was interrupted by Kenpachi.

'And what, let`s fight with him, this place is full with challenging fights and this is one of them, I want him now!' He said, and began to charge at Ulquiorra.

'Santen Kesshun!' said Orihime and launched his shield to protect Ulquiorra, surprising everyone, even Ulquiorra, and then in a very strange move, the disappeared and appeared before him, saying:

'No one will attack Ulquiorra, I made him human, and I will protect him.' And then an astounding amount of spirit energy began to show off, surprising everyone to no end, the resolve, the will in her eyes, everything was strange, was it Orihime?

'Inoue this monster kidnaped you, he attracted us here, and then he attacked Ichigo, killing him, it were only you powers who rebirthed him.' Said Rukia

'Kuchiki-san, I understand this very well, what you feel, you may feel betrayed, but isn`t this what you do, you give the hollow souls another chance to live, you purify them, you reborn them in Soul Society, that`s what I did, in my way, I gave him another chance to live as a human.' Said Inoue Orihime

'Inoue Orihime' said Byakuya Kuchiki, 'you said you created him, you gave him another chance, so be it, I will not stand in your way, but, you take the responsibility of him, you have the courage to keep him near you, to educate him, to integrate him?' Said Byakuya Kuchiki

'Yes, I will everything to make him live a great human life.' Said Orihime

'One last time, Inoue Orihime, you take the responsibility to take him in your care?' Said Byakuya.

'Yes.' She said, his eyes full of determination

'Then so be it, you are entrusted to him, and from on now, for every soul he will devour, for every destruction he will do, you will be the one to suffer.' He continued in his stoic voice

Ulquiorra was shocked by everything that happened, that large shinigami who killed Nnoitra, charged at him, but the woman, launched her shield and then appeared before him shouting thing about protection, and even more, he was taking the full responsibility of him. This was happening to fast for him, a moment ago, she was his enemy along with that boy, but they managed to bring him back to life again, and now she was protecting him from harm, what kind of human she was.

'What, you let him leave, it would be better to entrust me for study, not to give him to that girl!' Said captain Kurotsuki.

Everyone ignored him, they looked at Ulquiorra expression, he was full of fear, full of conflicts within himself, but then, they saw the Cero Espada appearing, and grabbing Ulquiorra, smacking him down like a mosquito, but then, when he wanted to give him a deadly punch, his hand just fell to the ground, they all looked to see who attacked, it was Orihime, she used Tsubacki to cut his arm. Yammi Tried again to punch, but this time, he attacked the girl, but before everyone had time to react, he used her shield, and again to everyone shock, it didn`t even break, it stood tall, and proud between then.

Ulquiorra laid down on the castle grounds, in a pool of blood, he was nearly to lose his consciousness, but when he saw how the girl attacked Yammi like he was a fucking trash, a true testament of her willpower and courage, he feel renewed, he couldn`t let she fight for him, it was not right, he was the man, he was the strong one, he was the former Cuatro Espada. And then his reiatsu began to change, it became like the one he used when he fought Ichigo, dense and powerful, he got up and then transformed into his Segunda Etapa, knocking down everyone with his energy release and then taking Orihime in his arms, flying up and saying: 'I thank you for everything, but now, let me finish this job!' His voice full of emotions and determination, he will protect Orihime.

He let her down, and then charged at Yammi, slashing, stabbing and hacking with his sword, launching his ceros Oscuras, and used even his Lanza del rampago to bring his former comrade to his feet.

After a good fight, Yammi was down, as good as dead. As the battle was fought, everyone stood and stared at how he could fight against him, he was so small, so powerless after his battle with Ichigo, but still he put everything he had, he fought even better than against Ichigo. And then as Yammi was down to his feet, they heard a sound: 'Lanza Del Rampago' and then Ulquiorra launched his weapon and got through his mouth and exploded inside him. After that last attack, he began to fall down, but was caught by Orihime, and then she began healing him.

'I think this said everything!' said Orihime, again with her powerful aura of determinacy and power.

'What do you say about this Kurosaki?' Said Ishida

'Well, we did a great job fighting sandworms and now, he make our work easier, and as for Orihime, I will be there to protect her!' Said Ichigo

'Very well then, as everything is done here and Aizen is dead you are allowed to go to the World of the living again, I will inform Captain-Commander of this.' said Byakuya

Ulquiorra was fighting to keep his eyes open, but was exhausted, 2 fights in the same day, now he was a human, and he would have a new life. He closed his eyes exactly when Orihime said 'You heard that Ulqui-kun, you are free now, come, I will take you to my home.'

* * *

Now, now, aren`t they a lovely couple? IMHO, I like them more than IchiHime. Nevermind,:)), now I hope you enjoyed it, and don`t forget to review.


	5. The Ash

**I returned to do another chapter of this great story-I hope you consider it great!-**

**Now, I will try to edit the 1-4 chapters, adding some more fight descriptions, some more environmental descriptions, and I will try to make the action slower, not to hasted. Ok then, this is the 5****th**** chapter in my story. Read my brothers and sisters, and please let me some reviews, you make me very happy. **

_Karakura town, the real one, aftermath._

Garganta opened, and 11 peoples- Orihime, Ichigo, Sado, Ishida, the unconscious Ulquiorra, Captain Kenpachi, Captain Byakuya, Abarai Renji, Kuchiki Rukia, and The 12th squad captain along with his daughter- appeared. Each of them was battered, scattered, injured, exhausted, some more than the others, but nevertheless they were happy, happy that this senseless war is finished, happy because no one from their side died, but happiest were Ichigo and Orihime.

He was happy because Orihime was saved; he survived his encounters with Espada, and became stronger. She was happy not _just_ because of the salvation, she was happy because of Ulquiorra, she was happy that her powers succeed in giving Ulquiorra a new life, a life far away from senseless destruction, carnage, or soul devouring, she was happy, that he protected her against that giant, that he fought with his entire might against one of his own just for her, that he protected her.

Finally, as they reached the town outskirts, she was interrupted from her thought by Ishida, who said:

'Inoue, why are you so thoughtful now, maybe you observed you made a mistake, and you want that us… ' Orihime intervened.

'Never Ishida-kun, I did that knowing that I will have a hard life after, knowing that everything won`t be same, but even if he will betray us, even if he will kill me, I will not regret…' Another interruption, by Ichigo this time.

'What, to kill you?' and began to laugh 'I am here Inoue, nothing bad is going to reach you, I will kill Ulquiorra personally if this will be the case, because you know, I am the most powerful…' And suddenly everyone began to laugh.

Feeling himself disappointed by the credit given by his friends, Ichigo keep silent.

'Don`t be such full of you, if captain Kenpachi-san didn`t appear, you would have died, if I wouldn`t resurrect you In the first place, you would have been dead by his hands, and if our friends wouldn`t be there, you would have never succeed.' said Inoue

Everyone was shocked, they never expected that she, the one who was in love with Ichigo to be so harsh with him, but then, they observed what was the problem, Ulquiorra, judging by the effort she put in saving him, by taking the responsibility for him, and protecting from harm; maybe, just maybe, her feelings are for the former Espada, not for the substitute.

Something changed in her in Hueco Mundo, It wasn`t something physical, she was same beautiful, she had same height, weight, same bobs, same hair… no, it wasn`t something physical, it was something in her mind, she understood how much her friends care for her, they cared so much that they even let her keep her new friend, but what really changed was her attitude, she was no longer the girl with fear in her heart, with fear and lack of resolve, now she was something more, she was a true warrior, she was a new Orihime, she was the one who would save them all in the times to come.

'Hey Ichigo, want to do some training at my division barracks?' said Kenpachi

'I`m exhausted, and I had enough fights to last a lifetime…' Ichigo never finished, because of Byakuya.

'This is not the time for fights, we must return in Seireitei, and see what became of the others, Renji, Rukia, come!' Said the 6th division captain.

Happy that he postpone the battle for later with that mad captain, again, he turned to Rukia.

'Rukia before you leave, I want to tell you something, come with me.'

As she moved to depart, Byakuya said, looking at Ichigo with murderous intentions.

'This is not time, nor the place for something like this Kurosaki, maybe another time.'

Scared by Byakuya reaction- after his fight with Ichigo atop the Soukyoku hill he began to care more than ever for his sister, maybe too much, and Ichigo knew that he will be the next Training Dummy of the stoic Captain, if he said too much, so he said:

'Ok then, I will tell you next time you will come in the Living world.' With much grief and fear in his voice.

After they said their goodbyes, the captains and lieutenants returned back in Soul Society and the humans back to their houses.

'Ishida, are you sure about Inoue and that Ulquiorra hollow? Shouldn`t we try to deal with him now when he is exhausted and unconscious?' Sado said.

'It`s useless, Sado-kun, just look at her now, he ripped that giant arm with in an instant, and then blocked his attack even faster than we could react to intervene, she can take care of herself now, and if not, we will be there at her side.' Said Ishida.

'You trust her?' Came the fullbringer question, doubt in his voice.

'She, I trust, him, not. That`s why, I will try to keep my eyes on him, after all, we don`t want troubles here.' Quincy's answer came.

'What an interesting conversation you have here, tell me my friends, why are you so thoughtful and who is this "him" you cannot trust?' The jovial voice took them by surprise, it was Urahara who saw the garganta and got to see what the problem was, maybe some more Arrancars?

'Urahara-san, this one you heard of, is an Espada, the Cuatro Espada more accurate.'

Urahara face turned from smile, taking a serious expression as he heard Ishida.

'The problem in itself is that Orihime used her powers to convert him into a living being, he is no longer a hollow, but he may still be a problem.'

'Converted you said? How interesting, a hollow turned human, I wish to see him now.' Said Urahara, and then began to laugh.

'Urahara-san I think you **do not** understand the problem here!' Said Sado, silent no longer.

'He may try to attack her, or worse, to devour her…' he continued exasperate.

'Sado-san, Ishida-san he still had his powers after his transformation?' Urahara turned again to his serious tone.

'Yes, he was attack by that monster Yammy, his fellow Espada, after he saw the scene, but when he turned to attack Orihime, something changed into the air, he began to release him mighty reiatsu, everything went black for a moment, and then we saw him, in his most powerful release, fighting to protect Inoue, after a desperate fight, he was victorious but he fell from the sky because of exhaustion. His arms and legs began to disintegrate, turning into ash, his wings same, and then, he said something about a heart and his hand, it was only because of Inoue that he still lives now!' Explained Ishida.

'I think he was just turned from a hollow into a spiritual being without hole and mask, never mind, I will go and see him, maybe.' Were his last words before he departed and began to laugh.

'Yea, Urahara, this man never ceased to impress me, both for bad and worse.' Said Ishida.

After this, they departed, each of them going to his home.

_3 hours later_

Orihime was in the kitchen, preparing some of her special food-red bean paste- he wanted to impress Ulquiorra in his first day as a human teenager, and make him feel like family.

Ulquiorra was sleeping into her bed, still unconscious and exhausted from the fight.

At the window was a shadow, just one very small moment, but still it was there, someone stalked Ulquiorra. The figure opened the window using some of her magic, and then stepped in, looking at the girl`s room.

Her room was a simple one, a bed, a table, some cute pink walls, a TV, a very big and old PC and some wardrobes.

The intruder attention was all just for the immovable man who slept unconscious into de beauty bed.

He approached him, took off the blanket, and began to study his body. He saw the tear-like marks are still on his face, but the mask and the hole were nowhere to be found, they were gone. He approached his face nearby Ulquiorra chest, and began to listen at his heartbeat, it was regular and discrete, exactly like the normal ones. But even as his body was perfectly human like, except for the "birth marks" and his very pale skin, the feel of wrongness was around him.

He put his hand in his pocket and brings out a knife, it was a normal knife, nothing very special. As he approached the knife to the place his former hole was, Ulquiorra began to tremble and switched his position turning to the left. He continued to approach the knife and began to tear in flesh, but as he stroke, the knife turned into dust. Finishing his research there, he began to leave, exactly when the former Espada began to open his eyes. Using Shunpo, he disappeared, and using his magic closed the window.

Ulquiorra opened his eyes, and felt a strong spiritual energy, he thought it was the woman so it didn`t disturbed him in the slightest. He began to get up from his incommode position, but when he tried to walk, he felt his hands become nearly immovable, and his feet like a stone. He stood there for 10 seconds, and then he started to shrink, panicked he looked down, and saw his feet turning into dust. He tried to scream, but he was to weak, he tried again, but no voice came from his throat, then he collapsed on the floor, and lost his consciousness.

He was just finishing her red bean paste, when she heard a sound coming from upstairs. Thinking at the worst, she run as fast as she can to see what was the problem, thoughts like "Was he attacked?" or "He is ok?" "What happened to him?" were everywhere in her head.

After some very long 15 seconds, she reached Ulquiorra`s door. Steading herself, she entered, but what she saw, nearly killed her. She saw his very body disintegrating before her, more than half of his body was ash, and the process continued fast. Without wasting a second, he began to heal him, but she just slowed down the transformation. With every moment, the ash became more and more, soon nothing would be left from her new friend.

'Ulquiorra, stay with me, don`t die, stay with me!' Screamed the poor girl, focusing more and more of her powers to heal him. Even if the process continued to slow down, the ash nearly reached his neck.

'What is happening? Why? Why? Why is this happening? Why again?' Cried Orihime.

'What is this sound?' Said Ulquiorra.

He opened his eyes and looked around, only darkness.

'I see only darkness.' He thought.

'Ulquiorra, Ulquiorra, ULQUIORRA…' he heard Orihime screams.

'She is calling me? What is she doing? Wasn`t I transforming into dust?" He thought.

'If you die now, I will _**NEVER**_ forget you Ulquiorra, do you hear me!' He heard again.

'She will never forget me.' He said with only a pale shadow of his former voice.

'She will never forget me.' He said again, with more conviction, but still very weak.

'She will never forget me.' He said again, with a strong voice this time

'She will NEVER FORGET ME.' He screamed.

'I will RETURN WOMAN.' He screamed again.

'**I WILL RETURN, ULQUIORRA SCHIFFER WILL RETURN**.' He raged with his entire might.

As he said that, he saw how around him the darkness was dissipating, and more and more colors began to fill the void, after some seconds, he was again in the girl chamber, but around a yellow dome.

'You are back.' Orihime said, her face full of tears.

'I have returned woman.' Was his slow reply.

Finishing the healing process, the former dust began to form again as his limbs, and organs.

'What happened? Why again?' Orihime asked, full of relief but still with tears in her eyes.

'This is a long story.' He replied, his voice fading again.

He was again unconscious, but this time, there was no danger. He could sleep safe.

Steading herself after this traumatic experience, she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead.

Then, he got down to finish the food, hoping that here won`t be another danger to his life.


End file.
